SC Concerned Over Misuse of POCSO Cases, Says Awareness Needed
The apex court adjourned the PIL to December 2 and noted that some states and union territories had not filed a response in the matter.
New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Tuesday flagged concerns over the Pocso Act being misused in cases of marital discord and consensual relationships between adolescents, and underscored the need to spread awareness in boys and men about its legal provisions.
A two-judge bench of Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice R. Mahadevan was hearing a PIL seeking directions to sensitise people about the penal provisions for rape and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act to make the country a better place for girls and women.
The apex court said: "One thing, we would like to remark. Pocso Act is being misused in cases of marital discord and matters pertaining to consensual relationships between adolescents. We should spread awareness to boys and men about the legal provisions."
It adjourned the PIL to December 2 and noted that some states and Union Territories had not filed a response in the matter.
The top court had earlier issued notices to the Centre, the Union ministries of education and information and broadcasting and the Central Board of Film Certification on the plea filed by senior advocate Aabad Harshad Ponda.
The petitioner advocate said there was need to inform people about the laws regarding rape and the change in such laws after the Delhi gangrape case of 2012.
The plea seeks several measures, including directing the education ministry to ask all educational institutions providing free and compulsory education to children aged up to 14 years to incorporate the penal provisions regarding offences against women and children.
The subject of moral training also has to be included to ensure awareness about sexual equality, the rights of women and girls and their freedom to live with dignity, it said.
The petition said, "Particularly, endeavours are required to be made to change the mindset of the boys in this country, an exercise that must start at the level of school."
There should be similar directions to the information and broadcasting ministry, CBFC and other broadcasting authorities to highlight the awareness of the folly of committing rape and its punishments and educating the public about the Pocso Act, it added.
